This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Trump's 15 flips flops in his first 15 days. Christensen holds three-vote lead; Dems plan to challenge. Report: Trump leaning toward Romney as secretary of state.
Happy Wednesday. Since his surprising election, President-elect Donald Trump has switched his stands on everything from his signature border wall to his rather low opinion of the man he is replacing in the Oval Office. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster following his latest plans, which now do not include investigating his general election rival Hillary Clinton. Politico compiled a list of the 15 flip-flops in Trump's first 15 days as president-elect. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/11/trump-flip-flops-president-elect-214478">Politico</a>]
<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Republican state Rep. Lavar Christensen holds on to his seat by just three votes according to final election results Tuesday, though Democrats intend to call for a recount. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4622645-155/rep-lavar-christensen-wins-by-three"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667820/Canvass-Rep-Lavar-Christensen-wins-race-by-3-votes.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/11/22/utah-legislature-race-decided-by-only-three-votes/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/recount-expected-utah-house-race-dems-pick-two-other-seats"; target="_blank">KUER</a>] [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11539-">UtahPolicy</a>]
-> The Wall Street Journal says Trump is leaning toward asking Mitt Romney to serve as his secretary of state. [<a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/mitt-romney-leads-donald-trumps-picks-for-secretary-of-state-1479846765">WSJ</a>]
-> What will education look like under President Trump? He hasn't said much, but here's what we know on the future of the Department of Education, Common Core, Title I and Title IX, state school vouchers and for-profit higher education. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4604298-155/education-under-trump-some-utahns-hoping"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The Salt Lake Tribune is mixing up the newsroom: political and investigative reporter Matt Canham moves up to senior managing editor, columnist Paul Rolly takes young journalists under his wing and political reporter Robert Gehrke starts a column of his own. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4621742-155/salt-lake-tribune-names-new-top"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/MormonLiberals"; target="_blank">MormonLiberals</a>: "How to not let Thanksgiving ruin a great opportunity to talk to your family about how Trump is not normal."
From @<a href="https://twitter.com/JohnWonderlich"; target="_blank">JohnWonderlich</a>: "Calling it now: there'll be product placement in the state of the union."
From @<a href="https://twitter.com/RexHuppke"; target="_blank">RexHuppke</a>: "I guess the T-shirts should've read: '(say you're going to) LOCK HER UP! (until the campaign is over and then don't)."
<strong>Heads up:</strong> Political Cornflakes will be off for Thanksgiving but will return to your inboxes on Monday. We wish all of our valued readers a wonderful holiday.
<strong>In other news:</strong> More than 40 culinary students sign up to cook a huge Thanksgiving meal for 1,000. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4622011-155/u-chef-prep-culinary-students-team"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] Crossroads Urban Center will also hand out Thanksgiving turkeys and other dishes to the hungry on Wednesday. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4621045-155/crossroads-urban-center-to-give-away"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Tribune staff will show up at the Volunteers of America Youth Resource Center on Black Friday to help collect donations. Here's a list of what they need most. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4622581-155/help-the-salt-lake-tribune-help?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> President Obama honored Sundance's Robert Redford as part of a star-studded group of Medal of Freedom recipients Tuesday. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4622456-155/president-obama-honors-robert-redford-with"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The Unified Fire Authority invites Dan Petersen, an Oregon fire chief, to take the helm. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4620960-155/ufa-looking-to-hire-oregon-fire"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667788/Unified-Fire-Authority-names-new-fire-chief.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/11/22/unified-fire-authority-to-confirm-new-fire-chief-soon/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/unified-fire-authority-selects-new-fire-chief"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]
-> The state is just about on track to reach its 2020 goal of a 90 percent high school graduation rate after it ticked up to 85 percent this year. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4621315-155/utah-high-school-graduation-rate-increases?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The Utah Transit Authority goes ahead early with its plan to cancel ski bus routes from downtown Salt Lake City and put them toward more efficient and predictable service from the mouths of Big and Little Cottonwood canyons up. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4622086-155/uta-proceeds-with-revamped-ski-service"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> President Obama shortened the sentences of and demanded drug treatment for two Utahns serving time for drug crimes. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4621838-155/obama-commutes-the-sentence-of-two"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The Environmental Protection Agency keeps what was supposed to be a temporary wastewater treatment plant running as it brainstorms long-term solutions to clean up a Gold King Mine spill. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4624015-155/epa-wants-to-keep-treatment-plant"; target="_blank">APviaTrib</a>]
-> Pat Bagley pokes fun at voters who think Trump's administration will spare the nation from Obama's tyranny. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4622572-155/bagley-cartoon-trump-triumphant"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Paul Rolly rattles off what some big Utah names have to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4616873-155/rolly-what-mitt-mia-jackie-jason?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<strong>Nationally:</strong> In his first big media appearance since his victory speech, Donald Trump sat down with The New York Times Tuesday and talked on the record. He tackled a slew of questions that have been the subject of public chatter, but what's hit his supporters the hardest: Trump backed off his campaign crusade to jail Hillary Clinton. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/22/us/politics/donald-trump-visit.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/22/politics/takeaways-donald-trump-new-york-times-meeting/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/trump-says-he-could-continue-to-run-his-company-in-theory-from-the-oval-office/2016/11/22/935745da-b0e3-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]
-> Trump said Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who also ran as a Republican candidate for president, is a top contender to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/11/ben-carson-cabinet-hud-trump-231772"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/11/22/ben-carson-is-a-candidate-for-hud-secretary-trump-says/"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]
-> Several computer scientists say they have found evidence of tampering with electronic voting machine ballots in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and urge Clinton's campaign to challenge the election results. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/22/politics/hillary-clinton-challenge-results/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-challenge-election-results_us_5834e3a6e4b000af95ed3a34"; target="_blank">HuffPost</a>]
<strong>Where are they?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> serves Thanksgiving dinner at the Salt Lake Rescue Mission.</li>
<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> works alongside Gov. Herbert serving holiday food at the Salt Lake Rescue Mission.</li>
<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>chats with a state lawmaker and spends the rest of the day in the office.</li>
<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey and heads to a service event in Washington with the rest of the First Family.</li>
</ul>
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at <a href="mailto:cornflakes@sltrib.com" target="_blank">cornflakes@sltrib.com</a>. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/pages/email"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
— Thomas Burr and Zoe Woolf McGinn
<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/zoewmcginn"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/zoewmcginn</a>